When is the best age for a life casting?

This is the question I am asked the most and it's a really good question to ask. The problem is the answer is not that simple.

It's too late to capture today, if it's already tomorrow.

"I wish I'd done this when my children were smaller"

"I'd give anything to hold those newborn feet again"

"You forget so quickly how small they once were, don't you?"

"I wish I'd known I could have done that - now it's too late"

But when is the best age to capture a lifecasting? Well, that depends - I'm not being noncommittal. It depends on WHAT you want to cast, and WHY.

Why do you want life casts?

Whatwill you have lifecast?

Why now?

Whatmemory are you capturing?

Why might waiting be better?

Whatwould I regret if I didn't do this?

Why should you NOT wait

There are no age limitations on my life castings.

What I can’t do is pause time, or go back in time...that would be pretty clever...

Being prepared and being organised is the key to successfully holding onto YOUR Impressive Memories.

I noticed on a website that the caster wouldn't cast babies older than 6 months, "due to them being unsuitable" - Seriously?It's most definitely THAT life caster who is unsuitable, it is certainly NOT your baby.

There are NO AGE LIMITATIONS to lifecasting - young or old.

Another company claims that babies who "don't cooperate" will have to pay extra if more casting material is needed, AND return another day! - I would never expect my customers to pay extra because their baby had wriggled! Wriggling is NOT a problem - in fact, I encourage it!!

Do not worry about anything like this happening at Impressive Memories! In my 16 years, I've never been unable to cast anyone or anything that's been to me for lifecasting!!

Baby Lifecasting

As a new parent, you'll want to treasure every second of your precious little bundle. They grow so so quickly, don't they? You just want to pause time and enjoy the moment - but it's also great fun watching them grow, and change and become little people. Lifecasting lets you capture that moment in time. Photographs are great but lifecasts let you actually touch and hold those memories.

Why Is Now The Right Time?

There could be many reasons. I would always say there is never a wrong time to capture a moment with a lifecast. It's a great way to remember a special anniversary or milestone, but in reality, we should treasure every day we have. Not just special occasions.

Why might waiting be better?

If proud Grandparents are also keen to have baby lifecasts and keepsakes, it can be a good idea to do them at different ages to yours. If you have newborn casts taken, they could wait until your baby is 6 months old...then you can compare and see how they've grown.

Why should you NOT wait?

Once the moment has passed it can never come back. Don't let memories fade - keep holding them!

Don't be left with regrets, wishing you'd done it.

Whenever I take a lifecast for you, we are creating a tangible snapshot of that moment in time.

Here are some of the benefits and possible disadvantages of casting different ages. For more [email protected] on baby lifecasting I have another blog here.

Click to make me bigger!

Lifecasting is NOT just for Babies!

A common misconception is that only babies can create lifecasts

When it comes to lifecasting adults the emphasis isn't on those cute little baby wrinkles anymore.

Our hands are so unique and instantly recognisable as those they belong to.

What we're doing when we cast adult hands is recognising and honouring those in our lifecast.

We're telling the world that this person is important to us and that we want to capture the connections, love and respect we have for them.

With the level of detail captured you can create a unique family heirloom. Imagine passing your lifecast down through the generations.

As we live in a digital age of no longer printing and storing photographs - How are YOU going to show future generations where they originated? Imagine letting them touch, hold and feel the hands of generations that came before them?

Click to make me bigger!

Memorial Lifecasting

Memories are never more precious than when we lose a loved one.

Lifecasting can still be done but it is vital that you contact me as soon as possible.

I cannot guarantee it will always be possible but I can guarantee that I have the skills, experience and industry requirements to do this for you.

I am more than happy to discuss this option with you if it is something you would like to know more about.

But when IS the best time to take lifecasts?

Hmmm There just isn't an answer to this is there?

Hopefully, I've helped you think about what YOU want to capture and why?

Should you use a DIY life casting kit?

So many parents have told me they attempted to cast their baby using a casting kit, not one of them continues to tell me it was a success, or that they were happy with the results. The promise is to create a beautiful 3D cast of their precious child’s hand and feet, creating a keepsake to treasure, making a memory. New parents think it is their fault that the results are not what they hoped for. They are left disappointed and often with a large dent in their wallet and nothing to show for it. I believe that casting kits are selling a box of expectation, but deliver an expensive disappointment.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO CREATE SUCCESFULL BABY CASTS?

Practice

Skill

Knowledge

Materials & tools

(A baby)

WHAT DO YOU GET IN A KIT?

A bag of casting material (This will run out long before you have had any chance to learn enough)

A bag of plaster (Most probably be of a very low quality and totally unfit for purpose)

A frame (This is just a cruel way of raising your expectations…)

The kit will often have attractive packaging with pretty pictures, but sadly not much else. The box won’t tell parents what is involved (because then they’d never buy it) so that information is kept for inside the shiny box of hopes and dreams.

The reality is this. Expecting a person with no skill or experience, to work with low-quality materials, no tools, no machinery and very limited instructions, with unrealistic images and expectations – leaves parents feeling like they have failed. They’re out of pocket and with either no end result, or at least a disappointing one (they still have that pretty frame – just to remind them of what they’d hoped would display a cast).

The instructions provided will likely be very brief also. Each situation is different, as is each baby you cast. There are so many variables that it is just impossible to write a brief set of instructions. Life casting can become fairly scientific. Asking a sleep deprived new parent to read a manual is not a good idea!

MY STORY

My passion, nae obsession, for life casting started after I bought a kit! I saw an advert in a magazine that showed a beautiful, high definition cast of a baby’s hands and feet. I have always been artistic and loved being creative and crafty, I reckoned I could do this. The kit was expensive, but it promised great results. So I bought it. I ended up with a screaming child, half a foot cast, a hand with no fingers and a LOT of mess! But I was determined not to give in…I kept buying more and more products, I borrowed other peoples babies (when mine had learned to high pitch scream as soon as she saw mummy and the pink goo approaching!) I experimented, I read, I learned, I practised. Over and over and over again…I did manage to make a set of my daughter’s feet as a gift for my mum & dad, but I never made anything worthy of a frame for a long time, and regret to this day that I don’t have my own child’s casts proudly on my wall.

CASTING KITS “YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR” Or do you?

Several companies offer casting kits. I have chosen to look at Mothercare as an example. They are a highly successful company, they are a name that parents trust and their kit is easily accessible to purchase.

Mothercare 3D Casting Kit – Review

All images relating to this review are taken from the Mothercare website & links to the original provided.

“Create a lasting memento of your little one’s first few months with this lovely impression moulding kit.”

Kit contains – moulding material, plaster and a frame (no mention of whether paint is included or framing adhesives, so assume it isn’t)

The box measures only 26cm so the frame can’t be any bigger.

Price is £45.

Problem 1

Expectation – You would expect to create something similar to the images shown.

Reality – You are paying predominantly for marketing and producing a kit – ah and a frame. The materials provided could be minimal in quantity, with no guarantee of quality. That makes it an expensive frame in a pretty box!

Problem 2

Expectation – “I will have a framed cast of my baby’s hand”

Reality – Firstly, casting a baby hand is not an easy task. Many experienced life casters struggle to do this, so to expect a new parent to manage this is unfair. PLUS – Babies do not hold their hands as shown in this image…that hand cast is taken from a much older child. This in itself is not an issue, the kit doesn’t claim to be only for babies, but if this frame is less than 26cm in size, and you look at the dimensions of the frame, the mount and the hand, the dimensions appear impossible…Could that hand cast and that frame have never met? Could this be a combination of two separate images, merged using technology?

Problem 3

This picture is better. If you zoom in on this image on the website, you do get a truer indication of the end result you’d hope to create. This cast has virtually no definition, the big toe is damaged and there are several very noticeable lumps and bumps, also flattening to the sole of the foot.

At least this image is a more accurate representation of what you MIGHT achieve. But £45 for a single foot cast is not much cheaper than many life casters charge – is doing it yourself worth the extra time, effort, stress & mess?

Is £45 a fair price to spend to end up with a low quality, low definition foot cast of your baby? If you think so, then go ahead and buy the kit…but perhaps read some reviews first –

Good to see that Mothercare responded…but still choose to keep selling a product that is failing more customers, than it is serving…

Not everyone is unsuccessful – but be realistic. If only one customer in ten has managed, will you? Do you mind if it doesn’t work out? Is losing £45 an issue or not?

Unfortunately, the reality is that kits can be a false economy. Yes, they are cheaper than paying a professional life caster, but the chances of ending up with a final product worthy of hanging on the wall is far less likely. So you could be paying a lot of money to end up with the possibility of having nothing to show for it.

Life casters have experience, they have the skills, the correct materials, and the knowledge to keep your precious baby safe, content, relaxed and at ease – giving you the very best result. Of course, differences between life casters also varies hugely too…so again…research is important. I wrote a blog about this too…it’s HERE. Also check out my Q&A web page full of hints and tips on how to get the best life casting results for you.

Still fancy getting creative? by all means, have a bash! Try making some foot impressions in salt dough. Paint those little fingers & toes and make some gift cards. Sprinkle your child in glitter and have some fun. But when it comes to life casting – use a pro.

I won the regional award of Fife’s Best Home Business 2016 – now I am through to the NATIONAL FINALS.

I’d like YOUR help for a chance to win a National Award – Can you help?

Just click the link and fill in the two sections – that’s it – done. Impressively grateful – Thank you, Jen x

The story so far…

Several months ago I was scrolling through Facebook, after eating my tea, and saw a friend had voted for a cupcake company and shared the link. It’s a tough old world for small businesses and I was happy to help them by casting a vote. Then I noticed a Glenrothes category…I clicked that too…and as I read through a list of local business names I saw “Impressive Memories”. My first reaction was “OH NO!!! Someone has the same name as me!” Then realised it WAS me! I shouted on my daughter…

“I think I’ve been nominated for an award”

“Oh…yeah….that? I nominated you ages ago…I forgot…” not even lifting her head from the iPad!!

And so it began…I am THE most uncompetitive person but knowing that MY business was in a competition I was suddenly feeling like a protective mother who’s child had been nominated for an Oscar!

It’s hard to describe how you feel about your own business. For me, it is like a second child. It takes up 99% of my thoughts. I constantly want to improve it, grow it, develop it and be the absolute best I can be. I am my harshest critic, I suffer massively from self-doubt. I will not stop until I am absolutely satisfied that it is the best I can create, and even then I can still find fault.

I also find it very difficult to ask for help. I am fiercely independent and some have even suggested stubborn!

But this competition needed votes…so I asked for help…

The result was quite overwhelming – people were happy to help and the comments that they wrote really blew me away. It was so unexpected but so lovely to hear from people who I’d met years ago, still willing to share, and vote, and support me.

Maybe asking for help is ok?

Maybe it’s not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength?

Next came the surprise visit from the competition hosts. He explained a little bit more about the process and seemed quite intrigued by what he saw in my studio. (He also enjoyed a nice Costa coffee, which all customers are welcome to have when they visit me). And then it was back to voting.

As the final approached I really didn’t mind if I won or not, I was happy knowing that I’d made lots of people happy creating their memories, and they were willing to support me. I wasn’t able to go to the award ceremony at Balbirnie House but had fellow business friends there, who kept me updated with tweets and texts throughout the evening.

The first award I was nominated for I didn’t win, it was for Best Glenrothes business and was rightly won by Alison Stewart Hairdressing. My second nomination was for Best Fife Home Run Business and I WON!! I was delighted and totally shocked – I had never won an award before and it felt awesome. Again, the self-doubt crept in and I felt a bit nervous about telling anyone…did it seem big headed? What would people think? But then I remembered that all those people had taken the time to vote, and they deserved to know the result. So on the Monday morning, I shared the lovely news and again I was humbled by all the responses.

A couple of days later I then remembered – winning at a regional level meant you then went forward to the National Awards!! Eek!! Back came the mind monkeys, the self doubt, the ‘I’m not good enough’ and the ‘little me’ syndrome. But this time they got swiftly kicked in the proverbials…

I love what I do, and I do it because I love it.

For me, creating my business ‘Impressive Memories’ has been a journey. A journey similar to taking a toddler on day trip, accompanied by a baby goat, that involves a trip round a busy supermarket on a warm day – yup one of THOSE journeys. Running a business is quite similar to parenting – you try to be the best you can be, you’re never entirely sure what the day will bring, but whatever happens…you get through it!

I am following my dreams. I chose this path, and this journey and I know the destination I want to arrive at (the toddler and goat might have other ideas). Self-doubt is not a bad thing, it just reminds me that I do this because I care, and I value what I do. Maybe that’s also why I want to succeed as much as I do? Maybe without all the lessons that life has thrown at me, I wouldn’t be who I am today, and my business wouldn’t be what it is either.

So, What’s Next?

I’d like to ask for your help again.

The Grand Final is being held at the Sheraton hotel, Edinburgh, on Sunday 28th of August. If you can spare a minute to click HERE, it would make an Impressive difference to me. It will help create my memories, which means I can keep capturing yours. Plus, my daughter wants her own horse…I have no choice but to get more Impressive.

PS – I’ve made another new silver charm…great for those of us with Pandora bracelets…all handmade, all unique to your design.